Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

Correct. "The grind" is part of everything. There is no job even being a movie star that is all fun and games. There is a grind to everything, some grinds are worse than others. Poker is less of a grind in my opinion to the other jobs out there.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

You say that but in all those other jobs you can't lose 3,000 in a day. That's what makes it much harder. If playing poker for a living was so easy everyone would be doing it. I'm just trying to provide insight to what it's like. It may sound depressing but everything I wrote was truth. Go to a cardroom anywhere in the world and it's not exactly a happy place. Just look at the regular people around.

Poker has many positive aspects, don't get me wrong. But I just want people to see it's alot harder then people think.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

"Poker has many positive aspects, don't get me wrong. But I just want people to see it's alot harder then people think."

That's fair. A reality check is good. But you don't really lose $3000 dollars a day as you mentioned if you are a good player and understand variance. You'll make it back. I invest on the stock market so I am use to big variance. In fact I like it! Variance makes me money, and it does for poker players too. If the fish didn't win, we would not have their business. It's all about knowledge and having a positive attitude.

Seriously, go on a holiday. And instead of somewhere nice, go to someplace poor and out of the way where you can see people who have real problems like limited food and shelter. You'll come back a new man and appreciate what you have.

Look at Ray Zee. He seems to be a down to earth and happy guy communing with nature and vegetables and what not. Be like Zee.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

Lol. I'm okay. Doing quite well actually. I guess this article is based on most people who are just starting out. I mean that even though most seasoned poker pros can deal with varience, most people cannot. They tilt, move up to higher stakes, and play out of their means. Which leads to going bust. I've learned the hard way.

The amazing thig about poker is that it teaches you about yourself. I have flaws, and poker has taught me about these flaws. Since I choose to play poker as a profession, I have had to learn to live in accordance with these flaws and deal with them. I have done this, but some people can't. I'm just trying to help people along the way.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

The health point of your article seems pretty weak to me. If you play poker professionally on the internet, this would leave so much more time to get in fantastic shape than a normal job would.

A lot of people say the reason they don't excersize is because they feel that they have no time. They work long hours and are too tired to get in shape outside of work. Some of these may be lazy and use this excuse as a cover up for their laziness but it is hard.

Anyone who makes no commute to work and expends no physical energy at work should be able to find more time to go to the gym. I would think an internet poker player has a way better shot of getting in good shape than someone who works a day job given the same amount of motivation.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

To make good money playing poker you must play/study long hours just as much if not more then a regular job. If you don't think playing multiple tables at once for 6 to 8 hours a day isn't exhausting, well my friend you are sadly mistaken.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

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To make good money playing poker you must play/study long hours just as much if not more then a regular job. If you don't think playing multiple tables at once for 6 to 8 hours a day isn't exhausting, well my friend you are sadly mistaken.

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Nobody is saying playing professional poker is a cakewalk. I'm just saying you have a way better opportunity to excersize being a pro internet player than working a regular job. If you have a treadmill and a home gym in your house, you don't even have to leave your home!

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

[ QUOTE ]
To make good money playing poker you must play/study long hours just as much if not more then a regular job. If you don't think playing multiple tables at once for 6 to 8 hours a day isn't exhausting, well my friend you are sadly mistaken.

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Oh come on, I work 30 hours a week, and I'll be damned if I use a minute of my free time reading poker books. Sure, I enjoy the 2+2 community and talking hands here, but I don't "study poker" when not playing. I don't think I'm an exception to the rule. The rule is new players study, old players play. Sure, there is stress in this job, but it isn't like working in a fast-paced kitchen asked to do the job of 1.5 people. True, it is exhausting multi-tabling for 6-8 hours, but it is nothing like shoveling dirt, hauling wood, or busting ass behind the line in a kitchen. I "recover" in minutes from a poker session whereas it would take an hour or two to recover from one of the other jobs I've had.

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

[ QUOTE ]
I don't hate my life. The point of this article was to be a response to Dr. Schoonmaker's earlier articles. Alot of people here are considering making the jump, I just wanted to give them the point of view of someone who has. I by no means am telling people to not make the jump, I'm just trying to tell you what it is really like. It's a grind.

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A lot of your described troubles are self-imposed, and have nothing to do with poker and everything to do with your personal failings.

You have a gym membership and don't go? What's that got to do with poker? Absolutely nothing. You're just lazy. Why are you writing about your laziness and lack of discipline in a poker magazine?

I don't doubt that online poker for a living has its downsides. But you can't blame all the things you mention in your article on the poker. Many of them have nothing to do with poker.

eastbay

Re: I Quit My Day Job
 

Working 15-20 hours a week and making more alot more money than i need doesn't sound too bad to me. Most of the disadvantages of poker are the same disadvantages that come along with other jobs anyways.